New colleges fail to draw students despite 9% rise in admissions

Srinagar, Oct 21: Even as Jammu and Kashmir’s Higher Education Department (HED) recorded a 9 percent increase in overall college admissions this academic year, the newly established Government Degree Colleges (GDCs) continue to struggle with low or no student enrollment.

The department recently made the current enrollment figures public amid concerns over a decline in student admissions in higher education institutions.

According to official data, 45,438 students have taken admission in the undergraduate (UG) first semester for the 2025–26 session, compared to 41,706 admissions in 2024–25 and 40,879 in 2023–24.

While the figures indicate a steady rise in overall enrollment, the distribution remains uneven. Most new admissions are concentrated in older, well-established colleges, leaving the newly created institutions under-enrolled.

Director Colleges J&K, Prof. Sheikh Aijaz Bashir, told Greater Kashmir that although the admission trend is improving, the department is concerned about students’ reluctance to join newer colleges.

“Our admission numbers for UG programmes in degree colleges have crossed the 45,000 mark this year. Our only worry is that students are moving towards bigger colleges, which leaves the newer institutions with low enrollment,” Prof. Bashir said.

He added that the department plans to address the issue through better academic planning and awareness to ensure balanced enrollment across institutions.

J&K currently has 144 Government Degree Colleges—72 each in the Kashmir and Jammu regions. Of these, 52 colleges were established in the past few years to expand access to higher education, especially in remote and underserved areas.

However, many of these colleges have failed to attract students due to inadequate infrastructure, lack of permanent campuses, and limited course options. Students continue to prefer established colleges that have better facilities, experienced faculty, and a longer academic track record.

“We are not seeing any decline in overall admissions, but yes, new colleges have very low enrollment. That remains a challenge for us,” Prof. Bashir said.

The situation is exemplified by Government Degree College Allochi Bagh, Srinagar, where no student has enrolled for the current academic session. The college, established in 2021–22, has been functioning from a makeshift setup at MP Higher Secondary School, awaiting a permanent campus for nearly four years.

As reported earlier, the HED recently shifted all faculty members of the college to nearby institutions after continued non-functionality and zero admissions.

The department acknowledges that while setting up new institutions has expanded access, it must now focus on improving infrastructure and ensuring that these colleges become academically viable and attractive to students.